Bush berry harvester

ABSTRACT

A bush berry harvester for berries growing on bushes in a row has a carriage movable along the row and carrying a pair of tine grids movable in unison up and down to a selected elevation and movable in unison transversely toward and away from the bushes and also oscillatable in opposite phase in a fore and aft direction at variable amplitude and frequency to dislodge berries onto a conveyor leading to a berry cooler on the carriage.

United States Patent Chen et al.

[ 1 BUSH BERRY HARVESTER [72] inventors: Pictiaw Chen; James J.Mehlschau,

' both of Yolo, Calif.

[73] Assignee: The Regents of the University of 7 California, Berkeley,Calif.

22 Filed: June 15,1971

21 Appl. No.: 153,250

[52] US. Cl .Q ..56/330, 56/328 [51 Int. Cl. ..A01g 19/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..56/330, 328 R, 331, 327 R [56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 5/1970 Grover "56/330 1 Dec. 12, 1972 10/1969 FOX ..56/3307/1969 R.R.Steingasetal .56/328'R Primary Examiner-Louis G. ManceneAssistant Examiner-J. N. Eskovitz Attorney-Lothrop & West [57] ABSTRACTA bush berry harvester for berries growing on bushes in a row has acarriage movable along the row and carrying a pair of tine grids movablein unison up and down to a selected elevation and movable in unisontransversely toward and away from the bushes and also oscillatable inopposite phase in a fore and aft direction at variable amplitude andfrequency to "dislodge berries onto a conveyor leading to a berry cooleron the carriage.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENT ED DEC 12 1972 SHEET 2 [IF 3INVENTOR. PIC T/xm/ CHE/V BY JAMES J. MZHZSCHAU 5% 7 ldzr 14 TTOPNE YBUSH BERRY HARVESTER Berries, particularly those which grow on bushesunder cultivation in rows, and especially boysenberries and berries of asimilar nature, are customarily now largely hand-picked, although therehave been some machines developed for removing the berries from thebushes. There is a particular need for an improved and more effectivewayof removing the berries from the bushes in order that a selective orcomplete harvest can be made and in order to avoid injury to the berriesAnother object ofthe invention is to provide a berry harvester that canoperate with only ordinarily skilled labor and will reduce in generalthe amount of labor required to harvest the berries.

= A further object of the invention is to provide a berry harvester'inwhich the picking mechanism has an im-' proved'operation for carefulremoval of the berries from the bushes. i I

An additional object of the invention is to provide means for-separatingthe harvested berries from undesired materials.'

An additional object of the invention is to provide a berry harvester inwhich the berries can be quickly field processed, on the harvester ifdesired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a berry harvester thatis mechanically simple, economical and reliable.

. A still further object of the invention is in general to provide animproved bush berry harvester.

While the berry harvester of the invention is useful with variousdifferent kinds of berries having sundry different growth habits, it ismost useful in connection with and is described as it has been used withboysenberries growing on bushes cultivated in long rows in the field,the rows being spaced apart to provide intervening aisles. Boysenberriesare especially of interest since their growing season is usuallyrelatively short, they can be selectively harvested if desired,depending upon their degree of ripeness, and they respond well to a veryshort interval between the picking time and the processing time.

Other objects of the invention are attained in the embodiment of theinvention described in the accompanying description and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is for the most part a side elevation of a harvester constructedin accordance with the invention, certain portions being broken away todisclose the interior construction;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan of the structure shown in FIG. 1, aboutone-half of the machine being illustrated, some portions being brokenaway to disclose interior construction;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section, the plane of which is indicated by the line3-3 of FIG. 1 and the scale being somewhat enlarged;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail showing some of the connections of thevertical frame device;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view, portions being broken away, showing part ofthe drive and associated structure for the tine grid oscillation; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-section on a diametrical plane and to an enlargedscale through a part of the Oscillator mechanism.

The machine is primarily for use in a field in which berry bushes 6 areplanted in rows extending generally in the direction of the arrow 7 inFIG. 2. The machine advances generally in the direction of the arrow andincludes a carriage 8 fabricated of the customary shapes and angles andincludes a main frame 9 of inverted U- shape in side elevation restingat its forward end on ground-engaging steering wheels 11 and at itsrearward end on ground-engaging motive wheels 12. On the frame is anoperators station 13 in the vicinity ofa steering wheel 14 for guidingthe wheels 11. There are also suitable controls (not shown) forgoverning the operation of the driving wheels 12. Usually the drivewheels are hydraulically propelled from a power source 16diagrammatically illustrated. Preferably the power source is an internalcombustion engine which operates a hydraulic system affording pressureliquid for steering of the vehicle, for propulsion of the vehicle andalso for operating various of the power-requiring instrumentalities,each under appropriate automatic or operator control.

The upper portion of the frame 9 is provided with a transverselyextending box beam 17 within which runs one horizontal leg 18 of a frame19 also inclusive of a depending leg 21. The leg 18 is carried on pairsof wheels 22 operating on the lower flanges of the box beam 17. Theframe 19 is projected and retracted by means of an operator-controlledhydraulic jack 23 connected to the frame and to the beam 17 andpartially housed within the beam. Under normal conditions, particularlywhen the machine is not in use and the jack 23 is contracted, the frame19 is withdrawn. Whenthe jack 23 is energized in the opposite sense, theframe 19 is projected, the movement being a rectilinear one transverselyof the direction of the row of berry bushes.

On opposite sides of the frame 21 are mounted a pair of slide tubes 26and 27 extending vertically and operating as guides for a carriage 28inclusive of cylindrical sleeves 29 and 31 mounting the slidablecarriage and constraining it to vertical translation. The slide as awhole is vertically translated by means of a hydraulically driven motor33 under control of theoperator. On the motor shaft is a sprocket 34meshing with a link chain 36 passing over a sprocket 37 journalled inthe upper portion of the leg 21 and extending to an anchor 38 on thecarriage 28. The chain also extends from the sprocket 34 around an idlersprocket 39 similarly journalled in the lower portion of the leg 21 andsimilarly connected to an anchor 41 on the carriage 28 By appropriatelyoperating the hydraulic motor 33, the operator may lift and lower thecarriage between its limits, such motion being vertical in a rectilinearpath. The carriage 28 extends outwardly from its support tubes 29 and 31and is inclusive of a pair of horizontal tubes 43 and 44 appropriatelymounted and braced to serve as the support for a pair of parallel,horizontal, longitudinally extending bars 46 and 47 having braces 48and-'49 extending back to the carriage in the vicinity of the supporttubes 29 and 31, so that the bars are held quite securely in position.

Particularly pursuant to the invention, there are mounted on the bars apair of oscillating mechanisms, the description of one applying as wellto the other since they are substantially identical. Toward one end ofthe tubes 43 and 44, for example, there is mounted a slide frame 51 andtoward the other end thereof there is mounted a symmetrical slide frame52. Each of the slide frames includes a pair of tubes 53 and 54 slidablymounted on the bars 46 and 47 and accurately spaced by connectors 56.The tubes 53 and 54 are likewise joined by stiffening plates 57 and 58to a hub 59. The slide frames 51 and 52 are each substantially cushionedby means of coil springs 61 and 62 on either side thereof bearingagainst the adjacent stationary parts of the mechanism.

Each of the slide frames carries a pair of upright bars 63 and 64(FIG. 1) fastened to and therefore movable in unison with the slides.The upright bars are supplied with a number of clips 66, each of whichhas a longitudinally extending base 67 from which at intervals project anumber of tines 68 preferably of metal each covered with a thin plastictube. The tines 68 are arranged in regular rows and files and soconstitute a tine grid for each slide frame when considered as anentirety; that is, all of the tines 68 in connection with one of theslide frames 51 constitute a first tine grid, whereas the similar seriesof tines 68 associated with the other slide frame 52 constitute a secondtine grid.

Particularly pursuant to the invention, it is preferred to oscillate theslide frames 51 and 52 horizontally at the same time or in unison butpreferably in opposite phase so that they tend to balance each other asto vibratory forces. As a mechanism for producing the horizontal,rectilinear or longitudinal motion of the tine grids, we have had goodsuccess with the arrangement shown herein. As particularly shown in FIG.5, this arrangement is inclusive of a pivot pin 71 held against axialtranslation but freely rotatable in a block 72 supported from thecarriage 28 for rotation about a vertical axis. Secured to the pin 71 isa control plate 73 to which is secured one end of a hydraulic jack 74,the other end of which is pivotally mounted on the sleeve 31. The jackis connected to the hydraulic mechanism through a suitableoperator-supervised control, so that by manipulating the jack 74 ineither direction the plate 73 is appropriately rotated about the axis ofthe pivot pin 71. The instantaneous position of the parts is indicatedby an index 76 on the frame 28, with which a pointer 77 cooperates.

Suspended from the plate 73 and pivoting therewith is a ring frame 78serving as a cage for antifriction bearings 79 and 81 in turn supportinga drum 82, thus journalled for rotation and having a chain sprocket 83united therewith. Openings 84 are cut in the ring frame 78, so that achain 86 in engagement with the sprocket 83 can pass through theopenings 84 and depend to engage a sprocket 87 suspended in appropriatebearings in a bracket 88 connected to the bearing ring frame 78 by aspacer 89. A hydraulic motor 91 suitably connected to the hydraulicsource and under the control of the operator is likewise carried by thebracket 88. With this mechanism, when the jack 74 is actuated to or fro,the entire mechanism depending from the plate 73 likewise rocks aboutthe axis of the pivot 71. Flexible lines to the hydraulic motor 91permit this. In this fashion, the bearing ring 78, as well as the drum82, either operate in a plane exactly normal to the vertical plane ofthe bars 46 and 47 or are tilted about the vertical axis of the pivotpin 71 to one side or the other of such normal position.

To take advantage of this variable setting, there is mounted in the drum82, preferably at diametrically opposite points and on opposite sidesthereof, a pair of substantially identical driving mechanisms. Asparticularly shown in FIG. 6, the drum at each such location carries aball support ring 92 which with a ball retainer 93 positions a ball 94secured to the end of a drive rod 96. The drive rod has threaded shankin adjustable connection with a threaded sleeve 97. At its other end thesleeve is connected by a similarly threaded rod 98 to a ball 99 mountedin the adjacent hub 59.

With this mechanism, when the hydraulic motor 91 is energized, the drum82 is correspondingly rotated, and if the jack 74 holds the centralplane of the drum normal to the bars 46 and 47, the connectors 97 simplygyrate, each in its own conical path, without displacing either of thehubs 59 longitudinally. That means that no oscillatory motion isimparted to either the first tine grid or to the second tine grid.However, when the jack 74 is actuated under control of the operator andthe plane of rotation of the drum 82 is swung either to the right or tothe left, then the connecting links 97 similarly displace the hubs 59and a longitudinal, horizontal oscillation of the two slides 51 and 52is provided. The amplitude in the longitudinal direction of such motionis a function of the angularity of the plane of rotation of the drum 82with respect to a normal plane. By selecting the amount of suchangularity the operator may choose the amplitude of the longitudinalvibration of the two tine grids.

In addition, the operator has control over the speed of the hydraulicmotor 91, so that by varying the motor speed the operator can vary thefrequency of oscillation of the two tine grids in a longitudinaldirection.

Since the two balls 94 are spaced apart, the direction of oscillation ofthe first tine grid is always exactly opposite to the displacement ofthe second tine grid. The effect of this arrangement is generally tooffset the forces exerted on and by one grid by those exerted on and bythe other. Since substantial masses are involved, it has been found thatinstead of subjecting all of the driving machinery to the maximum forcesit is preferable to utilize the cushion springs 61 and 62. Adjacent theopposite ends of the reciprocating longitudinal movement the springs arecompressed to serve as shock absorbers and upon the immediatelyfollowing return stroke act to impart some impetus to the oscillatingparts. This reduces the load on the driving mechanism and likewiseconfines the vibration or oscillation of the two tine bankssubstantially to their immediate vicinity and lets the remaining framestructure be substantially free of vibration from this source.

Disposed on the frame 9 for resilient lateral yielding so as not toinjure a bush and extending beneath the two tine grids is an openconveyor 101 comprised of a number of spaced slats or tubes connected attheir ends to chains running over driving drums 102 and 103 situated ona transverse frame 104. A hydraulic drive motor 106 is connected by achain 107 to the drum 103, so that the upper run of the openworkconveyor is moved from right to left as seen in FIG. 3. Small, heavydebris on the belt falls between the slats and so is discharged.Extensions 108 on the frame 104 hold a deflector plate 109 so thatfalling materials will be intercepted and transferred to the belt 101.

Disposed beneath the open belt 101 is a duct 111;

supplied through a pipe 112 with air under pressure from a blower 113suitably driven by an appropriate hydraulic motor and effective toafford pressure air for discharge through an outlet opening 114 justbeneath the discharge end of the open conveyor 101. Immediately beneaththe opening 114 is the upper run of a conveyor 116 driven by a motor 117and effective to take the material discharged from the open belt 101that happens to fall thereon. Some of the material discharging from thebelt 101 is light and is unwanted. Blast air from the outlet114 tends toblow such light material away and permits only the heavy, remainingdesired items to be carried on the belt 1 16. p

In. the operation of this structure, the carriage is power driven intoan aislev alongside of a berry bush 118 (FIG 3). The carriage is drivenin the general direction of the arrow 7 (FIG. 2) until the tine grids,when the leg 18 is in retracted position as shown-in FIG. 3, are closeto the periphery of the berry bush-l18'withthe plate 109 as close to thecenter of the bush as is reasonably possible. The carriage is thenstopped opposite the bush and the jack 23 is actuated to project the leg18, and consequently all of the attached mechanism including the twotine grids, to the right of FIG. 3, so that the tines are plungedsubstantially full depth into the structure of the bush 1 18.

Prior to such motion the operator has an opportunity to raise or lowerthe carriage 28 if necessary, depending upon the height, maturity andgrowth habits of the bush, so that a maximum coverage of the bush isafforded. Often in a row of similar bushes the height of the slide 28 isestablished at the beginning of the row and need not be substantiallychanged thereafter.

The positioned tine grids within the compass of the bush are thenvibrated or agitated by operation of the hydraulic motor 91. Thisrotates the drum 82, and the drum is adjusted. at an appropriate angleby operation of the jack 74 to give the amplitude of stroke desired,while the speed of the motor 91 is suitably adjusted to give the speeddesired. The two banks or grids of tines are thereupon oscillated towardand away from each other in a direction that is not only horizontal butcorresponds with the longitudinal direction 7, there being no rotary,up-and-down or in-and-out motion of the tines at all, the single motionbeing simply that of a horizontal, longitudinal vibration in thedirection of the stantial injury and eventually land either on the plate10901 directly upon the upper run of the open conveyor 101. In eithercase the berries are fed to the left in FIG. 3 and are discharged overthe end of the roller 103. The berries are often accompanied bydislodged leaves, twigs, debris and other miscellaneous matter which isrelatively light and which is not desired. As all of the material on thebelt 101 rounds the drum 103 and falls by gravity, it is traversed bythe jet of air from the orifice l 14, which tends to blow the leaves andlight debris off of the machine and back into the field, whereas therelatively heavy berries fall through the blast directly onto the upperrun of the conveyor 116. They are thus cleaned and conveyed in agenerally horizontal path and thenin an upwardly inclined path fordischarge over the upper end of the conveyor 1 16.

In actual practice we have found it to be highly desirable to processthe berries immediately at this point rather than to collect them andtransport them to a packing or treatment place. The drawings showdiagrammatically a rectangle 121 illustrating a collecting mechanismsuch as a box or bin adapted to be removed and transported. It is muchpreferred, and we have found in actual process that it works well, tohave the berries discharged from the conveyor 116 -fall into arefrigerated chamber represented by the rectangle 121. Since the berriesdetached from the bushes need no particular further treatment exceptseparation from the other hand, the speed and amplitude can be so adleaves, twigs, trash and the like, and since that has been accomplishedbetween the conveyors 101 and 116, the material discharging from theconveyor 116 is suitable for immediate processing. The refrigerationchamber 121, preferably operated as a Freon refrigeration structure,receives the berries, takes the field heat out of them almostimmediately, and then cools them to a point usually below freezing, sothat from time to time there is removed'from the carriage thejust-picked berries in frozen condition.

After the machine-has operated as described at one location inconnection with the row of bushes, the operator works certain hydrauliccontrols to withdraw the tine grids and so that the carriage 8 is againadvanced a further step. This is usually equal in length to the over-alllength of the two tine grids, and this advance takes the carriage toanother point opposite a bush which has not yet been picked. Thereuponthe again with the tines being situated within an unpicked bush. Theoscillation is resumed by resumption of operation of the motor 91, if ithas previously been stopped, and the picking operation continues in thisstep-by-step fashion all along the row.

What is claimed is:

1. A bush berry harvester for use with a row of berry bushes extendingin a predetermined horizontal direction comprising a carriage adapted toadvance in said direction, a frame, means for mounting said frame onsaid carriage for horizontal movement transversely of said direction,means on said carriage for moving said frame horizontally andtransversely of said direction, a first tine grid having first center ofmass, means for mounting said first tine grid on said frame for movementof said center of mass in a path parallel to said direction, a secondtine grid having a second center of mass, means for mounting said secondtine grid on said frame for movement of said center of mass in said pathand means on said carriage for simultaneously moving said first tinegrid and said second tine grid with said centers of mass moving in saidpath and in opposite directions relative to said frame.

2. A device as in claim 1 including means for'moving said first tinegrid and said second tine grid relative to said frame at variableamplitude.

3. A device as in claim 2 in which said tine grid moving means includesa swash plate, means for connecting said swash plate to said first tinegrid at a predetermined elevation on said carriage and to said secondtine grid at said predetermined elevation, means for rotating said swashplate, and means for altering the plane of rotation of said swash plate.

4. A device as in claim 3 in which said connecting means includesconnecting rods connected at one end to said swash plate by ball jointsand connected at the other end to said first tine grid and to saidsecond tine grid by ball joints.

5. A device as in claim 1 including a conveyor on said carriage andincluding spaced apart bars for receiving and conveying berries awayfrom an area on said carriage below said tine grid and including meanson said carriage for blowing an air stream upwardly toward said barsnear the discharge'end of said conveyor.

6. A device as in claim 5 including means on said carriage at thedischarge of said receiving and conveying means for cooling materialreceived therefrom.

7. A device as in claim 5 including a second conveyor mounted on saidcarriage at least in part beneath the discharge of said first openconveyor and beneath said air stream.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIUN Patent No.3,705,486 Dated Deoember 12, 1972 Inventofls) Pictiaw Che-n, et. a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

a On the cover sheet [72] "Yolof Calif," should read Davis,- Calif.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of May 1973.,

(SEAL) Attest:

I EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesti ng. OfficerCommissioner of Patents F ORM PO-10 0' (10459) USCOMM-DC ways-P69 Q U.SGOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I989 0-366-334,

1. A bush berry harvester for use with a row of berry bushes extendingin a predetermined horizontal direction comprising a carriage adapted toadvance in said direction, a frame, means for mounting said frame onsaid carriage for horizontal movement transversely of said direction,means on said carriage for moving said frame horizontally andtransversely of said direction, a first tine grid having a first centerof mass, means for mounting said first tine grid on said frame formovement of said center of mass in a path parallel to said direction, asecond tine grid having a second center of mass, means for mounting saidsecond tine grid on said frame for movement of said center of mass insaid path and means on said carriage for simultaneously moving saidfirst tine grid and said second tine grid with said centers of massmoving in said path and in opposite directions relative to said frame.2. A device as in claim 1 including means for moving said first tinegrid and said second tine grid relative to said frame at variableamplitude.
 3. A device as in claim 2 in which said tine grid movingmeans includes a swash plate, means for connecting said swash plate tosaid first tine grid at a predetermined elevation on said carriage andto said second tine grid at said predetermined elevation, means forrotating said swash plate, and means for altering the plane of rotationof said swash plate.
 4. A device as in claim 3 in which said connectingmeans includes connecting rods connected at one end to said swash plateby ball joints and connected at the other end to said first tine gridand to said second tine grid by ball joints.
 5. A device as in claim 1including a conveyor on said carriage and including spaced apart barsfor receiving and conveying berries away from an area on said carriagebelow said tine grid and including means on said carriage for blowing anair stream upwardly toward said bars near the discharge end of saidconveyor.
 6. A device as in claim 5 including means on said carriage atthe discharge of said receiving and conveying means for cooling materialreceived therefrom.
 7. A device as in claim 5 including a secondconveyor mounted on said carriage at least in part beneath the dischargeof said first open conveyor and beneath said air stream.